


When I Hear Your Name, I Can't Walk Away

by PadawanRyan



Category: Disney RPF, Jonas Brothers
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - High School, Class Differences, Emotions, Feelings, Fluff, Joe and Nick are not related, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Pre-Slash, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 15:59:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18528364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PadawanRyan/pseuds/PadawanRyan
Summary: After a chance meeting in the school library, where Nick practicallysaved Joe's ass, Joe Jonas starts appearing everywhere in Nick Miller's life. As they become study partners and - dare he think it -friends, Nick begins to feel insecure about the fact that Joe's rich and he's, well,not.Joe and Nick are not related in this fic. Kevin and Nick are still brothers, and Frankiewastheir brother too. Nobody's parents are around and Zac Efron makes a guest appearance.





	When I Hear Your Name, I Can't Walk Away

**Author's Note:**

> Despite the title - because, you know, the song it's from - this is going to be a generally happy story with only some light angst. I just felt that the lyric in particular fit the feelings that appear to be happening between all of the characters. I've actually been working on this one for a few days, and a couple times, I expected that maybe I might write this in a few different chapters, but I know myself and if I even _attempted_ to make this a chaptered fic, it would end up abandoned. So, it comes as a slightly longer oneshot than any I've ever written. This was actually almost as long as the draft I should be writing for a chapter of my PhD comps right now, but I apparently had more motivation to write this.
> 
> I should also note that I didn't have this whole fic planned out when I started writing it, I basically had an idea and I went with it, and the fic took on its own path once I started writing. I'm pretty pleased with it though, and during the last couple pages, I _actually_ ended up crying while writing because _so many emotions_.

Nick was a good kid. He never stayed out late, never missed an assignment, never did anything he shouldn’t be doing.

So, he couldn’t understand how he ended up in this situation.

He had been sitting in the library and working diligently on his English paper, headphones on and plugged into walkman, when suddenly he found his personal space being invaded. There was another body in the chair right beside him, pushed up so close to him that he could smell the other person – and _eughhh_ , was that marijuana he smelled? – as they leaned over to read his scrawl on the paper in front of him. Nick pulled his headphones off, intending to ask the person what they were doing, when a hand squeezed him tight on the thigh.

“If anyone asks,” the other boy began, “I’ve been here with you the entire time.”

Nick couldn’t even process what the other boy – he recognized that voice – said for a moment, still thinking about the hand that squeezed his thigh and _sent vibrations right to his —_

“Excuse me, Mr. Jonas? May I ask what you have been doing?”

The boy beside him laughed sheepishly and lifted his head, flipping his long hair out of his eyes as he looked to the older teacher standing beside the table, arms crossed and glaring down at the one Mr. Jonas. Nick’s heart was racing because he had never had a teacher standing so close to him while using that sort of tone and because that hand was _still squeezing his thigh_. He shuffled a bit in his seat, trying not to draw attention to himself while attempting to dislodge the hand.

“Well, Mrs. Anderson, I’ve been sitting here and helping my friend with his paper,” the boy explained.

The teacher raised an eyebrow at him a moment before turning to Nick. “Mr. Miller, is this true?”

Nick raised his head with wide eyes, clearly looking like a deer caught in the headlights. The hand squeezed tightly again, as though the other boy was reminding him to keep up the ruse, prompting Nick to stutter out, “Y-yes, ma’am. I thought I could use a second opinion and, uhhh, _Joe_ here was willing to offer one.”

She looked between the two of them suspiciously. “Okay, fine,” she conceded, uncrossing her arms, “but please, Mr. Jonas – _stay out of trouble_.”

When Mrs. Anderson was out of sight, Joe – because Nick was certain he had the right name, he recognized that voice and that hair – removed his hand from Nick’s thigh and moved back a bit so that he wasn’t pressed up so close to the younger boy. Nick was almost disappointed before reminding himself that the other boy _smelled like marijuana_ and had probably been up to no good before he used Nick just to get out of trouble.

“Thanks, uhh, Miller, was it?” Joe asked him, flashing that bright smile in Nick’s face.

Nick nodded. “Uhh yes, Nick Miller.”

He debated holding out his hand to shake it before thinking that it would probably look stupid, so he turned back to his paper. He had been making some great progress with his English paper but now that Joe was there, he couldn’t concentrate anymore.

See, the thing with Joe Jonas is that although he didn’t even know Nick existed before now, Nick certainly knew about him. Nick was one of the good kids who stayed out of trouble and didn’t really go anywhere or talk to anyone, and sure, maybe he didn’t really have _friends_ but that didn’t matter because he could focus on his schoolwork and his music. Nobody really knew his name besides his teachers and that suited him just fine. Joe Jonas, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

Joe was three years older than Nick and _should_ have graduated two years earlier, but the boy barely attended class or handed in his homework, so it was no surprise that he had been held back. He was essentially one of the most popular guys in school – with the students at least, certainly not the teachers – and everyone knew his name, his face, even where you could usually find Joe Jonas at this time of day. That Joe Jonas was sitting in a library was a surprise in itself, but that he had even taken the time to learn Nick’s name was even more so.

“Well, Nick Miller,” still smiling, Joe patted his back and stood up, “thanks for the help.”

“N-no problem,” Nick stammered out, watching the other boy flip his hair back into his face as he sauntered toward the library door.

Oh yeah, the other important thing to know about Joe Jonas was that pretty much half the school was in love with him. Nick Miller was no exception.

* * *

Nick was a decided and smart student, so it really surprised no one when he took a couple senior classes as a junior.

No, the real surprise was when the empty seat beside him in his senior law class suddenly filled when some _familiar_ long, dark hair.

“Hey, Miller. What have I missed?” Joe asked, as though it was _totally normal_ for him to do.

The thing is that Joe almost never attended his classes. Actually, Nick was sure Joe had never attended this class because he had no idea that Joe was even in this class. And what was Joe even doing here now, after all this time, talking to Nick as though they were best friends? He felt as though he had fallen into the twilight zone. He had to be dreaming – that’s it, Nick still hadn’t woken up in the morning and Kevin was about to burst into his room and tell him that his alarm clock had broken (because he would _never_ sleep through it) and —

“Hey, Miller, you alright?”

He turned to see Joe smiling at him, but a hint of concern flashing across his face at what was probably clearly an anxious look on Nick’s own face. “Y-yeah,” Nick responded, “I’m fine.”

“Cool. So, have I missed anything important?”

“What, today or all semester?” Nick barked out before he was even realizing what he was saying.

Oh, that was mortifying. It didn’t seem to phase Joe, though, who just let out a low laugh. “You’re funny, Miller.”

“It’s Nick.” He was going to have to stuff his _goddamn foot_ into his _goddamn mouth_.

Joe’s smile brightened as he conceded, “Okay. Nick.”

Not used to talking at all in class – aside from being dedicated and studious, he simply didn’t have anyone _to talk to_ in class – Nick decided when Joe said nothing more to turn back to his notebook and the blackboard to take notes. Every so often he snuck a look beside him at Joe, wondering what the other boy was even doing, and was surprised to notice that Joe also appeared to be listening to their teacher and taking notes. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Joe do _anything_ studious before, so why would Joe bother to take notes in class? Why had he even showed up to this class today?

It had been a week since that day in the library and Nick hadn’t been able to get Joe out of his head. That wasn’t unusual for him, since every time he saw the other boy across the hall or even out the window at school, he found himself distracted by that soft hair, that mesmerising smile…but now that Joe had actually paid attention to Nick, it was as though Nick’s crush went into overdrive. It certainly wasn’t helping that Joe was _here_ and still acknowledging him.

“Hey, Miller,” Joe whispered as their teacher spoke, “meet me after school, will you?”

Nick, unsure of what else to do, didn’t even remove his gaze from his paper and nodded.

* * *

Nick had a couple more classes that afternoon, none of which had Joe in them, before he finally walked out the door at the end of the day and looked around the parking lot. He wasn’t sure where he was expected to find Joe because despite that he pretty much always knew where to find Joe – everyone did, Nick wasn’t a stalker – he usually had to rush after school for his bus and therefore never had the chance to stick around and see where Joe went.

He wasn’t waiting very long before he noticed Joe leaning against the _most gorgeous_ red Mustang he’d ever seen.

The other boy smiled as he noticed Nick coming closer. “Nick!” he exclaimed. “You came!”

 _I would always come for you_ , he thought, but held his tongue as he gave a small smile to the older boy. Nick wasn’t a big smiler – it was something his brothers teased him about all the time – but something about Joe being _right here_ and paying attention to him just made him want to smile. Joe continued to smile at him a moment, as though looking at Nick’s face was enough to make him happy, before he climbed into the driver’s seat and pat the passenger seat. Recognizing the suggestion for what it was, Nick moved around to the other side of the car and climbed in beside Joe.

“So,” he began, “where are we going?”

Joe grinned. “You’ll see.”

As much as Nick desperately wanted to spend time with Joe who _actually knew he existed_ , not knowing where he was going made him pretty anxious because Nick knew the type of stuff Joe got into and that was _not_ the type of stuff Nick was comfortable with doing. No, not even if Joe suggested it – he might have a crush on the guy, but Nick still had his head. Why did he even have a crush on Joe in the first place if they had nothing in common? Was Nick really just a sucker for a pretty face? These thoughts barely had time to swirl around in his head, because Joe kept smiling – was that smile _painted_ to his face? – as he drove them away from the school, and Joe’s smile reinforced for Nick the feelings he had for the other boy.

He had so many questions for the older boy, but Nick didn’t know that he wanted to voice them. What he really wanted to do was just _watch_ Joe drive, but he didn’t want to weird the other boy out by staring at him (not that Joe Jonas, of all people, would be unaccustomed to that). He settled instead for watching the scenery.

The scenery which, as they continued to drive, turned into some of the largest houses Nick had ever seen.

Of course, Joe probably lived in this area of town. Most of the people at their school did.

Nick was one of the few students at the school who didn’t actually have much money. Part of the reason he was so studious was because he had to maintain a scholarship in order to remain at the school. It never really bothered him, but he wouldn’t be telling the complete truth if he said that one of the reasons that he didn’t bother to make friends was because he was somewhat insecure – not his own economic status, but what other people might think about it.

Pulling into the driveway of what could only be classified as a _mansion_ , Joe turned off the car and smiled again at Nick. “We’re here!”

The two of them exited the car and Nick followed Joe up the front steps and into the _giant_ house, in which they ended up in a _giant_ foyer. Nick tried as hard as he could to school his expression – all the other kids at school probably would not be surprised by this house, they all probably lived in the houses surrounding Joe’s – but he couldn’t help it that his eyes went slightly wide than usual. He never usually wondered how the 1% lived but well, now that he was here, he found himself thinking about all the ways Joe’s family could afford this place.

“Welcome to my casa.” Joe threw out an arm in demonstration before giving an exaggerated bow.

“Umm,” Nick began, not sure still whether he wanted to question anything, “why are we here?”

“Oh, you’re going to help me study, silly.”

 _Study_. Nick knew what that word meant. When someone Joe’s age – or hell, even someone Nick’s age – asked you to _study_ it really meant that they wanted to sleep with you. Or at least make out with you. In any case, Nick knew what that meant, and he was both anxious and excited, never having been in this position before but always having fantasized what it would be like to _be with Joe, to kiss Joe, to sleep with —_

“Come on!” the other boy exclaimed as his grabbed Nick’s hand and pulled him toward and up the massive staircase.

Nick let Joe drag him all the way up the stairs and down a long hallway until they were inside a bedroom with the door closing behind them – obviously Joe’s bedroom. He felt his heart rate pick up as he realized where he was and what was going to happen. He took the opportunity to look around at the room, which was…not what he expected. It looked like nobody even lived there, besides the ruffled sheets on the bed that indicated that nobody had made it that day – the walls were plain, the desk was clear, and there wasn’t anything personal in sight.

“You have a…nice room,” Nick told the other boy, attempting to play it cool.

“You don’t have to pretend, you know. I know it looks like an asylum.”

Nick remained silent, looking around awkwardly as he tried to think of what to say. 

“It didn’t used to look like this,” Joe explained, voice softer than Nick had ever heard it. The thoughtful look on his face also seemed out of the ordinary for the usually-smiling boy. “Once upon a time it was a disaster, but it was _my_ disaster.”

“Oh, uhh…what happened?” Nick asked.

The wasn’t sure he should have asked. The older boy didn’t even look at him. After another moment of silence, Joe continued, “My mom left a few years ago and I didn’t react very well to it. Kinda…torched my room. Don’t ask, I wasn’t thinking straight. Hah, _not that I ever am_ , but…I spent a while with Dave after that while my dad had the place renovated. He wasn’t too happy… _not that he ever is_ …”

If there was even a mood already, Nick was certain it had been killed. And yet, he couldn’t help but feel special enough that Joe entrusted such a personal story to him.

“Ahhh, sorry about that,” Joe finally said, looking at Nick with a small smile. “You’ve got your law books?”

“W-what?” Nick stuttered out, taken off guard by the question.

“Your law books. I really need to pass that class and I hear that you’re practically a genius.”

Wait, Joe didn’t want to _study?_ He wanted to…actually study?

* * *

The remainder of the week had Nick over at Joe’s _fucking mansion_ after school to help him with his law work.

Joe actually turned out to be a pretty smart guy, so Nick kept wondering why the guy didn’t show up for class more often – or why he hadn’t before this week, anyway. He hadn’t gathered up the courage to ask any more personal questions and Joe hadn’t really divulged any more personal information, focusing instead on actually studying, but Nick had a theory that Joe’s mom leaving had a lot to do with his behaviour. Maybe he’d ask his brother about it – Kevin had been studying psychology before he dropped out of college.

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride home?” Joe asked as Nick packed his bag up after they finished their evening study session. Joe asked this every day.

And every day Nick told him that it wasn’t necessary, that he’d get his brother to drive him home. He was lucky that one of Kevin’s two jobs was right near Joe’s neighbourhood – Kevin worked at the country club only a couple blocks away so each night that week, Nick would head outside to meet Kevin as he drove by around 7:05pm.

Nick shook his head. “No, it’s fine. My brother is at the country club, he can come get me.”

“He’s been there every day this week, what does he even _do_ there?”

“Flirt with Zac, probably,” Nick mumbled.

Zac was another rich guy who lived right near Joe and spent a lot of time at the country club golfing. He had no desire to tell Joe that Kevin worked at the country club because that would be a pretty clear indication of his economic status and that he was not, in fact, rich like most of the other kids at school.

“I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?” Nick assured Joe as they made their way down the stairs to the foyer.

Joe smiled at him, as usual. “Of course. I’ll be there.”

And he would be, Nick knew. All week Joe had made an effort to show up to their law class – the only class they shared – but he had a feeling Joe had been showing up to his other classes as well, since he had overheard some of the complaints made by David when Joe chose not to join him out behind the school for a joint or some other activity. He wasn’t sure what had caused the sudden turnaround in Joe’s behaviour but he was glad, because it meant Joe wanted to spend time with _him_ (even if just to study), and he was sure that Joe was spending _even more_ time with Nick than his own best friend.

Sometimes, as he walked out the door to go meet Kevin down the street, he wanted Joe to kiss him goodbye.

But they were just friends. Study partners.

* * *

“So, I thought that maybe we could do something fun today.”

The comment came out of nowhere. It had been shortly more than a week since Joe and Nick had become study partners and they continued still to study every day, even though Joe was pretty much caught up in their shared law class by now, but the older boy had not suggested doing anything but studying for the past week. That didn’t bother Nick – he would take what he could get from Joe, and at least studying meant that they were staying out of trouble – but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t hoping their friendship could be… _more_ than just studying.

“Oh yeah?” Nick asked, trying to – as usual – keep up the façade of remaining cool. “What were you thinking?”

Joe hummed for a moment. “I was thinking that maybe we could go to the country club? Your brother seems to love it there and it’s been _ages_ since I’ve gone.”

_Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit —_

“Have you ever golfed before?” the other boy asked.

“Once or twice,” Nick choked out, slightly higher pitched than normal.

Joe shot him an odd look. “Are you nervous?” he asked. “You don’t have to be, you know. I’m no golf pro, people used to joke that I swing like an old man. You can’t be much worse than me.”

As Joe continued to drive straight past his _giant fucking house_ , Nick pulled out his phone and shot a quick text to his brother, hoping that Kevin might go on break sometime soon and would see his younger brother’s desperate pleas of “please don’t say anything” and “what do I do?” Getting into the club was not going to be an issue – if he was with Joe then he was Joe’s guest, he wouldn’t need his own membership – but the last thing he wanted was for Kevin to approach them and ask Nick what he was doing. That would _so_ be a Kevin thing to do.

Nick wished that he at least knew Joe’s plan was for them to golf so that he could have dressed appropriately. Both boys were still in their school uniform, Nick’s shirt and tie done up immaculately and Joe’s tie hanging loose with his shirt half-unbuttoned.

“Hey Joe,” he said before he even realized that he actually spoke up, “we don’t, uhh, have golf clubs or…anything.”

“It’s no big, the club will lend us whatever we need. I may need to suck up a bit, though.”

Whatever that meant, Nick wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Nick wasn’t sure of much anymore since Joe first sat down with him in the library a couple weeks earlier. Every time Joe said something, Nick both wanted to know more and didn’t want to know anything at all. Each time Joe came close to him, Nick both wanted him to back away or to come closer. What even was this, Schrödinger’s crush?

The same feelings persisted even after they arrived and Joe grabbed Nick’s hand to drag him up the walkway to the front door.

Nick almost felt the wind knocked out of him when they walked in and _there was Kevin_ at the front desk.

As Joe continued to drag Nick forward, still holding his hand – something which Kevin’s eyes went to immediately when he looked up at them – Nick, behind the other boy, began to gesture wildly at his older brother with hopes that Kevin would understand what he was attempting to convey. Kevin’s eyes were wide as he watched the approaching teenagers, but he seemed to get the message because after a moment of staring, he cleared his throat and masked his face with the customary smile that he usually wore at work. Not that Nick would know, exactly – he’d never come to see his brother at work – but he knew _something_ about customer service.

“Joe Jonas,” the older boy stated as they reached the desk, “and guest.”

Kevin nodded and typed away at his computer for a minute before a confused look passed over his face. “Jonas? There’s a note on your file that says you’re banned from the club.”

Smiling his own customary smile, Joe batted his eyelashes at the desk worker. “Oh, that was from a couple years ago. I promise, I’m not here to stir up any trouble.”

“I —” it was clear that Kevin wanted to turn him away because, well, it _was_ his job, but he wasn’t sure he could turn his own younger brother away when he had the opportunity to actually enjoy the club’s services. “I…suppose I can give you one chance to behave,” he relented.

“But,” he started again before either boy could say anything, “we will be keeping an eye on you.”

Joe thanked him sweetly and then requested that the boys borrow two sets of clubs. Kevin kept trying to shoot Nick questioning glances whenever he had the opportunity, but Nick wasn’t going to say anything with Joe in earshot. Kevin arranged for the two to pick up their clubs out back and Joe, still holding onto Nick’s hand, bounced – yes, Nick was sure that was _bouncing_ – back with the younger boy trailing behind him.

The game actually didn’t seem to go too badly, all things considered.

Joe continued to receive strange looks from everyone at the club, whether it be staff or members alike. Nick was wondering what he had done to get _banned_ from the club a couple years ago, but considering he knew the boy had _torched_ his own bedroom when his mother left, he was sure that the other boy was capable of all sorts of destruction. Nick had never golfed at a club, but having a brother who worked for the club, they did end up with some supplies sitting around at home and when Kevin had the occasional day off in the summer, he did sometimes drive them out to less prestigious courses to play.

“You know,” Nick began, finding the courage to joke with his new friend, “they weren’t wrong.”

Joe didn’t even look up but gave a low “hmm?” as he swung.

“You do swing like an old man.”

The other boy swatted at Nick’s arm and the younger boy laughed. In moments like these, it actually did feel like Nick had a _real_ friend, someone he could spend time with and joke with who didn’t expect anything of him. Of course, reality slammed into him pretty quickly whenever thoughts like that came up – Joe did have expectations of Nick, mainly that Nick was _one of them_ and that Nick help him pass his law class.

“Oh, shut up. You look like an old man,” the older boy retorted.

Nick raised an eyebrow. Sometimes his friend – _study buddy_ – made no sense whatsoever.

Joe was right about another thing: Nick was better than he was. Not by much, but it was clear that Joe was not going to walk away the winner from today’s game. The boys weren’t keeping too close a score, since this was more about just having fun and golfing than it was about winners or losers, but Joe wasted no moment complimenting Nick on a swing, on a hole, on even his posture. If Nick didn’t know any better, he’d think Joe was _flirting_ with him.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the infamous _Joe Jonas_.”

Approaching them was an older boy – he looked to be around Kevin’s age – with light brown hair and (even Nick couldn’t deny it) a brilliant smile. Joe’s usual smile didn’t falter but something in his eyes changed as the other boy came closer, making Nick wary.

“Efron,” Joe acknowledged – wait, _this_ was Zac? – the older boy.

“I thought you’d been banned from the club. That stunt you pulled with the cart, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, well,” he sounded bored, “I’m turning over a new leaf.”

“Huh. We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Joe cleared his throat and placed a hand on Nick’s arm. “Have you met my friend? Nick Miller.”

Zac chuckled and asked, “Miller, huh? You wouldn’t be Kevin Miller’s brother?”

Nick felt as though he was going to faint. Sure, he had never met Zac and Zac had never met him, but from the amount of times Kevin gushed about Zac while they ate dinner or watched a movie together before bed, Nick knew the two of them spent a lot of time together. He supposed it wouldn’t be so unreasonable since Kevin worked five days a week at the club and Zac spent quite a bit of time there, but there was clearly something more than just “employee” and “member” to their relationship.

“Umm, yes,” Nick found his voice, “that would be…my brother.”

“Huh, I never expected to see you here. Can you even afford to golf here?”

And wow, was that ever rude. “I…I mean, I…”

“Leave him alone, Efron,” Joe butted in. “Not everyone can have a famous retired athlete for a father, can they?” 

“Easy, Jonas. Just asking, considering his brother works he—”

Okay, he didn’t just _feel_ like he was going to faint. He was definitely _fainting_.

* * *

The next time Nick opened his eyes, he recognized his living room and the old TV across the room playing with low volume in the background.

“Kevin?” he mumbled, squinting when he felt a pain shoot through his head.

“Oh, good! You’re awake!” 

His brother, who was still wearing his work uniform but without the fancy jacket, came bustling over from the kitchen, carrying a glass of orange juice. “I need you to drink,” he stated, handing the younger boy the glass as Nick sat up.

“Your sugar is a little low,” Kevin explained. “Not dangerously low, but that along with what I suspect to be stress is what caused you to pass out.”

Nick took a sip of the orange juice and nodded. He wasn’t sure what he could say to his brother.

Kevin, who could no doubt sense Nick’s discomfort but was overwhelmed with worry for his younger brother, finally asked, “Did…Jonas do something?”

“Joe?” the younger boy looked confused for a moment. “What would Joe have done?”

“Well, let’s start with why you were at the club with him.”

This conversation was going to happen sooner or later. Kevin knew that Nick had been spending time with one of the kids from school because he had been picking Nick up on his way home from work for over a week, but Nick never told him exactly _who_ he had been spending time with – only that they were studying. Nick had never shown any signs of rebellion so Kevin never had any reason to doubt what they were doing, but the last thing he expected was to see Nick dragged into the club by the same boy who had been _banned for life_.

“Joe and I have been studying together,” Nick explained simply.

Kevin raised an eyebrow at him. “Studying? With Joe Jonas? You do know he was banned from the club for drunkenly crashing a golf cart into a window, right?”

No, Nick didn’t know that, but he supposed it sounded like something Joe would do. Or rather, it sounded like something the Joe he hadn’t actually _known_ would do. The Joe Jonas he had come to know over the past couple weeks was someone very different from the Joe Jonas that the rest of the world thought they knew.

“We’ve been working together on law stuff. He wants to graduate this year.”

Kevin scoffed and muttered, “He’s almost twenty years old, I certainly hope he wants to graduate soon.”

Nick didn’t like his brother’s tone. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“I’m worried about you, Nick! You’ve been spending a lot of time with this kid and then today, when you happen to be with him, you suddenly end up unconscious on the golf course!” Taking a moment to get himself back in control, Kevin continued, “I’m just concerned that maybe _he’s_ causing you undue stress, that’s all.”

“It was actually _your_ loverboy who stressed me out today, actually.”

Not that that was entirely the truth, since being at the club with Joe altogether was stressing Nick out, being out of his comfort zone and constantly afraid that exactly what happened would happen, but he had been having fun regardless.

“Zac?” Kevin asked, looking perplexed. “What did Zac do?”

Nick sighed. “He didn’t really do anything wrong, exactly. It’s just…nobody at school knows about us, and Zac was about to say something.”

“About us? What about us?”

“You know,” Nick lowered his voice and looked into his glass of juice, “that we’re…not rich.”

“So?” Kevin didn’t seem to get what was wrong. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Oh, come on, Kev. You know how kids can be. I don’t want anyone to bully me because I’m…less than them, you know?” he attempted to explain. “And I just…I haven’t told Joe because all we’re doing is studying and I didn’t think it was any of his business.”

“Oh, Nicky.” Kevin put his arm around his younger brother and pulled him close. “I’m sorry. And Zac’s _not_ my loverboy!”

Nick laughed. This was one thing that he was glad he still had in his life: his brother. Kevin worked practically twelve hours a day, seven days a week – one job five days out of the week and a part-time job on the weekends – in order to support himself and Nick, especially with Nick’s condition, but he was always there for Nick and for that, the younger boy would be forever grateful. He missed his parents sometimes – he and Kevin lost both them and their younger brother tragically a few years back – but he was glad that he still had someone who was willing to do everything for him. Hell, Kevin had dropped out of college and picked up two jobs just so he could make sure he and Nick would always be together.

“Can I stay home from school tomorrow?” Nick asked after a couple minutes of silence.

Kevin smiled and tugged the younger boy closer, kissing the top of his head. “Sure, baby boy.”

* * *

One day turned to two and two turned to three and suddenly Nick found himself having spent an entire week at home.

Kevin was a little concerned but at the same time, he knew how seriously Nick took his studies and he knew that Nick was still diligently working on his schoolwork in his bedroom during the day, so he didn’t press the issue. Nick was the top student in his grade so the school wasn’t ready to create an issue about it either, especially since Nick was making sure to email his teachers about any assignments he might have missed. They suggested he have a friend bring him his notes, but Nick wasn’t about to tell them he didn’t have any.

The knock that came at the door downstairs that afternoon confused him. Kevin was at work, who could be here?

Wearing nothing but a thin V-neck T-shirt and a pair of plaid pyjama pants, Nick clambered down the stairs to the front door and froze when he opened it. Standing at the door to his _ratty little house_ in his _ratty little neighbourhood_ was Joe, who looked all sorts of concerned when he saw Nick. The younger boy barely had time to formulate any words before Joe lunged at him, wrapping his arms around him and tugging Nick close to him. Joe’s face pressed into Nick’s neck and Nick could feel the shuddering on his breath, as though he was seconds away from crying.

“Where have you _been?_ I’ve been so worried!”

Nick wasn’t sure what to do so he just stood there awkwardly and let Joe hug him. This went on for what felt like several minutes and Nick tried not to think about Joe’s breath – the closeness of _Joe’s lips_ – on his neck. When the older boy finally let go and pulled away, Nick realized there was something very different about him.

This wasn’t the same Joe he had spent every day studying with before the incident.

No, this Joe looked…well, aside from worried and on the verge of tears, _normal_. Not that he looked _weird_ at any other time, but the popular Joe Jonas that everyone saw at school had a constant air of confidence whereas this Joe seemed insecure and scared; the Joe Jonas everyone saw at school had long, soft, straight hair that Nick would dream about whereas _this_ Joe had super wavy – almost bordering on curly, though nowhere near Nick’s – hair that Nick was certain he would also dream about because _goddamn_ , he was gorgeous. And were those glasses on his face? Who _was_ this Joe Jonas?

“Do you want…” he began, finding the courage to speak, “to come in?”

Joe nodded and Nick stepped back to let him into the house. Closing the door, he gestured for Joe to take a seat on the couch. The boys both sat in awkward silence for what _had_ to be a couple minutes, before Joe reached into his backpack and took out several piles of pages. It almost looked like Joe had been writing a book. “I, umm…brought your notes. From class.”

“All this is from law?” Nick’s eyes widened and he cursed himself silently for missing so much school.

Joe shook his head. “No, umm…all your classes.”

Now Nick’s eyes _really_ bugged right out of his head. “ _All_ of my classes? But we only share the one class. How did you manage this?”

“I might have…attended all your classes.”

“But _why?_ ” Nick couldn’t figure out why Joe would do that. He had his own classes to attend, so Nick said as much.

“I don’t want you to fall behind or…lose your scholarship.”

Oh, so that was it. Now that Joe knew about Nick’s situation – because he surely would know something by now, Kevin had mentioned that he had to step in after Nick fainted at the club and there’s no way Joe wouldn’t have figured things out then, and there was also the question of _Joe being in his home_ – he pitied the younger boy. Nick found himself getting instantly upset and handing the pile of papers back to Joe, who looked confused.

“Look, thanks for the effort,” Nick told him, “but I don’t want your pity.”

“Pity?” Joe asked, still looking confused. “This isn’t about pity. This is about me wanting to make sure the fucking smartest kid in school _stays_ the smartest kid in school.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Of course you do, because then who else would help you with your homework?”

“No, goddamn it! That’s not it at all!”

“Then why? What the hell makes _me_ important enough that you would go to all this effort just to make sure I’m doing well in my classes when you _certainly_ don’t do the same for yourself?”

Nick had no time to process what he was even expecting Joe to say – or what he might say next – when the older boy grabbed Nick by the shoulders and smashed their lips together. Nick’s eyes went wide for what had to be the gazillionth time in only the last ten minutes and Nick almost forgot to kiss back, joining in himself only moments before Joe pulled back and took a breath. The older boy looked away from Nick and ran a hand through his hair, collecting his thoughts, before looking back into Nick’s eyes.

“Because I fell in love with that kid, that’s why,” he said quietly, almost too quietly.

It was another minute before Nick found his voice, choosing to ask, “how did you find out where I lived?” instead of acknowledging Joe’s admission.

The other boy smiled – not the same brilliant smile that Nick was used to seeing on his face, but it was something – and explained, “well, I might have gone to the club and bugged your brother until he told me.”

“Kevin actually told you where we live?”

“Well, no, not right away. I went a couple days in a row and he wouldn’t let up, but finally I got the idea to ask Efron for help and, well…he’d do anything for Zac, it seems.”

Nick laughed and shook his head. “Oh man,” he began, “you have _no_ idea.”

The two boys laughed for a little while over the thought of Kevin and Zac – Kevin really _would_ do anything for Zac – before quieting down and looking at each other, as if neither was sure where to go next. Nick decided this time to take initiative and raised his hand to Joe’s cheek, caressing it gently for a moment before leaning in to return his kiss. Joe immediately began kissing back, wrapping his arms around Nick’s waist while Nick wrapped his around Joe’s neck. It seemed so terribly romantic, Nick could hardly believe it was happening.

When they finally pulled apart again, Joe was smiling again, this time much more bashful than the smiles Nick was used to from him. “I was telling the truth, you know,” he said. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”

“I’m nothing special,” Nick muttered, prompting Joe to lean in and give him another quick kiss.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you after that day in the library, the gorgeous boy who saved my ass. But you were so studious and I didn’t want to piss you off by bugging you in the library again, so when I found out we had a class together, I showed up to see you. And then I wanted to see _more_ of you, so I thought that maybe if I actually improved my studies and became a _better student_ , you might like me.”

“That’s stupid,” Nick said, causing Joe’s face to fall, “because I already liked you before then.”

The other boy’s face perked back up as he asked, “Really?”

“Joe, the entire school has a crush on you. You could have kissed me on that day in the library and I wouldn’t have pushed you away.”

“Oh, well…I’m still glad I didn’t, you know?” The older boy shrugged as he smiled at the younger boy. “Because then you wouldn’t have got to know me and I wouldn’t have got to know you and…can I kiss you again?”

Chuckling, Nick smiled and leaned in. “You can kiss me for the rest of my life.”

**Author's Note:**

> Side note: if anything you read _sounded_ like a reference to something Jonas-related to you, then I guarantee you it was one. So frequently throughout this fic I wrote something and then realized how close I was to something Jonas-related and reworded something just to intentionally make it a reference.


End file.
